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GRANDMA'S     ATTIC     TREASURES. 


GRANDMA'S 


ATTIC  TREASURES 


A    STORY    OF    OLD-TIME   MEMORIES 


BY    MARY    D.    BRINE 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW  YORK 

E.  P.  DUTTON  AND  COMPANY 

LONDON:   GRIFFITH   &    FARRAN 

1882 


Copyright,  1881, 
BY  E.    P.    DUTTON    AND   COMPANY. 


list* 

#76  a-* 

a 


Qrstgnrt  bg 

Miss  C.  A.  NORTHAM,  EDMUND  H.  GARRETT, 

J.  FRANCIS  MURPHY,  W.  A.  ROGERS, 

W.   P.   SNYDER.  W.  F.   HALSALL. 


The  book  is  prepared  and  the  illustrations  engraved 
BY  GEORGE  T.  ANDREW. 


622984 


of 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC  'TREASURES Frontispiece 

HEADING  AND  TAILPIECE 5 

"There,  give  me  my  knittin',  dearie" 9 

"Till  —  Asa  came  courtin'  me " 11 

"  Asa  had  gone  down  to  the  fields  for  a  load  of  hay  "          13 

DOOR  KNOCKER 15 

"  Wai,  so  they  set  down  in  the  settin'-room" 16 

"  Sech  a  heap  of  worn-out  stuff" 17 

"  A  part  of  my  cheers  and  tables  " 21 

"Ay,  Hannah,  wife,  it  is  good  to  rest " 23 

"  So  I  laid  my  hand  on  his  dear  old  head  " 25 

"  He  stopped  to  the  barn-yard  fence  " 27 

"  As  I  stood  in  the  kitchen  doorway  " 28 

"  And  father,  he  'd  set  there  a-laughin'  " 31 

"  So  warm  and  snug  on  the  pillow  "... 33 

"  A  spinnin'-wheel" 34 

"  The  oddest  lookin'  table  " 36 

"Atop  of  the  kitchen-shelf  " 39 

"  So,  rest! n'  my  head  agen  the  wheel" 41 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS.  vii 

PAGE 

"  As  out  on  the  farm-house  porch  I  spun  " 42 

"  Somebody's  hands  went  over  my  eyes  "    .                .......  45 

'•  There  were  only  two  of  us,  then,  you  know  " 48 

"  They  set  to  the  table  in  little  high  cheers  " 49 

"Sometimes  on  a  summer's  day" * 51 

"At  sixteen  the  village  belle  " 55 

"  I  would  gather  'em  close  in  my  arms  " 59 

"In  the  sun  of  the  mornin'  skies" 62 

"  He  pulled  me  down  on  his  knee  " 65 

"  For  here's  a  letter" 70 

"  To  the  distant  English  shore  " 73 

"  Agen  her  rosy  young  cheek  " 75 

"  And  now  I  was  goin'  to  leave  him  " 79 

"  And  a  heap  of  confusin'  gimcracks  " 81 

"  To  take  a  good  look  at  the  thing" 85 

"  And  I  jest  set  down  to  that  table  and  cried  the  least  little  mite  "       .  87 

"Till  we  neared  the  dear  old  homestead  " 91 

"Jest  help  me  in  on  your  arm,  dear " 93 

"  There  he  is  by  the  pasture  bars  " 94 


GRANDMAS  ATTIC  TREASURES. 


THERE,  give  me  my  knittin',  dearie, 

It 's  somethin'   I  can't  abide, 
To  set  with  my  old  hands  idle, 

Like  driftin'  along  on  the  tide. 
I  ain't  so  young  as  I  once  was, 

But  there  's  one  thing  sartain  sure, 
To  rust  out  of  life,  as  some  folks  do, 

Is  a  habit  I  can't  endure. 


10  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

Wai,  yes,  it  is  strange  how  time  does  fly ; 

'Most  takes  one's  breath  away : 
A  creetur  is  hardly  born,  it  seems, 

Afore  she  turns  old  and  gray. 
But  I  don't  complain  ;   for,  if  I  Ve  seen 

A  sight  of  worry  and  care, 
There  's  been  a  plenty  of  sunshine, 

And  I  s'pose   I  Ve  had  my  share. 


Did   I   use   to  have  beaux  ?     Yes,  plenty, 

And  likely  young  fellows,  too : 
But   I   was  full  of  my  fun   then,  — • 

As  much   of   a  witch  as  you 
Are   now,   with  your  face  so   pretty, 

And  your  ways  so  dainty  and   fine  ; 
But  the  beaux  you  girls  have   now-days 

Never  were  found   in   mine. 


GRANDMAS  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


II 


But   I  was  a  bit  particular; 

So   I   and   my  heart  were  free 
As   ever  the  wind  and   summer  air 

Till  —  Asa  came  courtin'  me. 
And,  oh !    I   remember  jest  as   plain 

How  his  blue  eyes  danced  and  shone 
The  day   I   promised  him   truly 

I  'd   be   his  sweetheart   alone. 


12  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

X 

Of  all   the  days   that  were  glad  and  bright 

I   think  the  gladdest  were   then, 
When  Asa  and    I   were   lovers,  dear, 

And  over  and  over  agen 
Kept  makin'  our  plans  for  the  future. 

Come  foul  or  sunshiny  weather, 
We  used  to  say  we  did  n't  care  which, 

So  that   we   shared  it   together. 


But  what  did   I   promise   to   tell  you 

When  you  put  me  down  in   this  cheer? 
Oh  yes,    I   remember  now,  dearie, 

I   know  you  wanted   to  hear 
About  the   time   of  my  sellin' 

The  things   that  folks   call  antik. 
Wai,  then,  the  mem'ry  of  that  are   time 

E'enamost    makes   me  sick. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

Oh  dear !    shall    I   ever  forget  that  day  ? 

The  old  man,   Asa,  had   gone 
Down   to  the  fields  for  a  load   of  hay, 

And   I  felt  somehow  forlorn 
And  kinder  lonesome,  and  could  n't  tell  why, 

As   I   stood  there   a-washin'  dishes, 
And   lettin'   my  old,  onruly  heart 

Get  full  of  onreasonable   wishes. 


14  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

You  see   I  'd  been  vvantin'   a  bunnit 
For   nigh   onto  three  good  years ; 
And   for  shame  of  my  shawl  so  faded 

I  'd   actually  once  shed  tears ; 
And  Asa  he  wanted   a  cow-critter 

Old   Deacon   Jones   had   to  sell, 
And  —  law !  the  half  that  we  wanted 

I  ain't  got  the  patience  to  tell. 


So  I  was  a-wipin'  my  dishes, 

And  now  and  then  wipin'  my  eyes, 
And  grievin'  over  the  shadows  and  clouds 

Which  come  to  every  one's  skies, 
Forgettin'  the  bright  and  sunny  part, 

Which  my  eyes  warn't  willin'  to  see, 
Because   I   thought  at   that  minit 

They  warn't  shinin'  bright  for  me,  — 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

When  all   on  a  sudden   there  came  a  knock 

Right  smart  on  the  old  front  door; 
(I  did  n't    know  when    I   had  heard   a  sound 

Agen   that  door  before). 
So   I   tidied   my  hair  at  the   kitchen  glass, 

And   smoothed  my  apern,   and   then 
I  nearly  jumped  out  of  my  senses 

When  the  knock  came  soundin'  agen. 


But  I  went  and  opened  it  keerful, 

And  I  was  amazed  to  see 
Two  stylish-lookin'  gentlemen, 

And  they  bowed  perlite  to  me. 
There,  now,  if  I  'd  been  Victory, 

Those  fellows  could  n't  a  been 
A  bit  perliter  salutin'  to  me, 

Jest  like  if  I  'd  been  the  Queen. 


i6 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


So   I  bowed  back  agen,  of  course, 

My  very  best  curtsy  ;    for  I 
Was  allers  taught  to  be  civil, 

In  the  civil  old  days  gone  by. 
And  I  said,  says   I,  "Oh,  how  do  you  do? 

Won't  you  kindly  step  in  ?  " 
(For  I  never  had  shet  my  door  on  folks, 

And   I  wasn't  a-goin'  to  begin.) 


Wai,  so  they  set  down  in  the  settin'-room, 
And  then  they  waited  a  bit ; 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


For  I  was  so  flustered  I  scarcely  knew 

What  on  airth  to  make  of  it. 
But  finally  one  of  'em  said  to  me, — 

"  Now,  madam,"  says  he,  "  I  hear 
That  you  have  some  antique  furniture." 

Thinks  I,  "  Law  sakes !    how  queer ! 

"  What  on  airth  does  he  mean,   I  wonder ! " 

But  I  said  :    "  Oh,  deary  me ! 
I  hain't  no  antik  furniture, 

If  it 's  that  you  're  a-wantin'  to  see. 
But  what  I  Ve  got  is  powerful  old, 

And  I  'm  sure  it 's  cur'ous  enough 
Why  anybody  should  want  to  see 

Sech  a  heap  of  worn-out  stuff." 


1 8  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

I  noticed  the  men,  they  laughed  at  me, 

But  there  !    I  did  n't  keer ; 
Thinks  I,  "  There  's  allers  been  lots  of  fools, 

And  a  couple  of  'em  are  here." 
For  cur'ouser  folks  I  never  see, 

A  peekin'  and  pryin'  about 
As  if  there  was  n't  an  airthly  thing 

They  did  n't  want  to  find  out. 


Wai,  arter  a  spell,  when  they  'd  got  through 

A-meddlin'  with  my  affairs, 
And  I  was  a-tryin'  to  get  'em  down 

A-past  the  garret  stairs, 
One  of  'em  spoke,  and  said,  "  Hold  on, 

There  's  one  more  place  to  go ; 
You  '11  let  us  visit  your  garret,  ma'am, 

Only  a  minit,  you  know." 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC  TREASURES.  19 

Wai,  there  !    I  was  'most  beat,  my  dear ; 

But  at  once  to  myself  says  I, 
"  It 's  plainer  still  that  the  day  for  fools 

Ain't  anywhere  nigh  gone  by ! " 
I  could  n't  help  but  laugh,  you  know, 

For  I  never  heard  tell  afore 
Of  two  sech  pecul'ar  strangers. 

Says   I,  "  There  ain't  no  more 


"  That 's  wuth  your  lookin'  at,   Mister, 

A  heap  of  rubbidge  and  sich, 
Old  beds  and  cheers  and  tables, 

You  can't  tell  t'  other  from  which. 
And   I  do  feel  mighty  ashamed  to  show 

Such  homely  old  trash,  you  see, 
And  they  ain't  no  airthly  use  to  a  soul, 

So  you  better  leave  'em  be ! " 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

But,  dearie,  would  you  believe  it  ? 

What  did  they  up  and  say, 
But  that  they  'd  ruther  have  old  things 

Than  new  ones,  any  day  ! 
So,  —  wal,  I  let  'em  look  at  the  duds  — 

But  what  they  wanted  to  do 
Was  somethin'  I  could  n't  onderstand, 

No  more,  I  reckon,  could  you. 


But  by  and  by,  when  we  got  down  stairs, 

The  men  they  whispered  a  bit, 
And  then  they  said,  "  Now,  madam,  look  here, 

If  you  're  willin'  to  part  with  it, 
We  '11  buy  your  furniture,  such  as  we  like, 

And  give  you  a  good,  fair  price." 
I  looked  at  them  two  poor  lunatics, 

And  my  laugh  riz  up  in  a  trice. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


21 


But  I  kinder  smothered  it  down,  for  there, 

Thinks   I,  "  I  Ve  hearn  of  folks 
Who  hain't  much  else  to  do  on  airth 

But  jest  to  be  playin'  jokes  ! " 
So  I  asked  'em  kindly,  "What  did  you  say? 

You  're  willin'  to  buy  of  me 
A  part  of  my  cheers  and  tables, 

And  t'  other  old  truck  you  see  ? " 


They  bowed  perlite,  and  answered, 

"  Yes,  certainly,  ma'am,"  said  they. 
Said  I,  "Wai,   I  don't  hardly  know 

What  Asa,  my  man,  would  say. 
But  s'posin',  you  call  agen,"  says  I, 

"And  I'll  think  of  the  matter  some;   ,, 
You  see  I  durino  jest  what  to  say 

When  father  is  n't  to  home." 


22  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

With  that,  they  went  away  at  once, 

And   I  could  n't  but  laugh  to  think 
I  'd  only  to  say  the  word,  you  know, 

And  jest  as  quick  as  a  wink 
I  could  have  my  bran  new  bunnit, 

My  new  green  shawl  and  all, 
And  Asa  could  have  that  cow-critter 

Along  in  the  airly  fall. 


Wai,  pretty  soon  Asa  came  along, 

All  tired  and  tuckered  out 
With  turnin'  the  hay  in  the  medder, 

And  drivin'  the  oxen  about. 
And  down  he  set  in  the  old  arm-cheer, 

A-leanin'  his  gray  old  head 
Agen  the  back.     And  he  drew  a  breath, 

"  It  is  good  to  rest !  "  he  said. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


23 


"  Ay,  Hannah,  wife,  it  is  good  to  rest, 

And  it 's  better  still  to  see 
Your  dear  old  face  a-smilin'  so  sweet, 

And  waitin'  to  welcome  me. 
I  'm  gettin1  along,  old  woman,  you  know 

And  easily  tired,  my  dear, 
And  arter  all,  there  's  nothin'  like  home 

And  a  comf  table  easy  cheer !  " 


24  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

Now,  would  you  believe  it,  those  men  had  chose 

That  partickler  cheer,  and  I 
Was  puzzled  to  death,  when  I  looked  at  it, 

To  know  the  reason  why. 
For  a  homelier  thing  I  never  did  see, 

As  plain  as  a  pipe-stem,  too ; 
I  was  so  beat  when  they  p'inted  it  out, 

I  did  n't  know  what  to  do. 


Howsomever,  I  thought  I  would  let  it  go, 

For  I  had  n't  s'posed  Asa  'd  keer ; 
Knowin'  how  many  old  things  we  had, 

I  did  n't  have  thought  nor  fear 
That  he  'd  say  a  word  ;    but  hearin'  him  speak 

In  that  way,  it  made  me  sad ; 
For,  thinks   I,  "  If  he  knows  I  'm  willin'  to  sell, 

It  '11  make  him  sorter  feel  bad." 


GRANDMA  'S  A  TTIC   TREASURES. 

But  I  had  to  tell ;  and  so  I  laid 
My  hand  on  his  dear  old  head, 

And  kind  of  coaxin'  like,  said  I, 
"  Asa,  my  dear,"  I  said, 


"  The  garret  is  full  of  old  truck,  you  know, 

Old  truck  that  we  never  use, 
And  I  'm  thinkin'  I  'd  like  to  sell  'em  off, 

And  I  s'pose  you  won't  refuse  ? " 


26  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

Dear  !  how  he  laughed  !     "  Why,  Hannah,  wife, 

Who  '11  buy  it,  do  you  s'pose  ? 
The  like  of  our  worn-out  furniture 

Every  soul  in  the  village  knows. 
No,  no,  my  woman,  there  's  no  one  here 

You  can  cheat  into  thinkin'  it's  new; 
It  ain't  so  harnsome  as  once  it  was, 

But  we  '11  have  to  make  it  do." 


Then  I  up  and  told  him  the  story,* 

And  told  him  about  the  men, 
And  how  I  had  said  I  'd  think  it  o'er, 

And  they  were  a-comin'  agen. 
And  I  said,  to  him,  "  Now,  father,  dear, 

There  's  Deacon  Jones'  critter,  you  see, 
You  've  wanted  to  buy  her  so  long,  my  dear, 

Now  here  's  your  chance  ;   and  for  me, 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


"  I  can  have  that  bunnit  I  'm  wanting 

And  won't  be  ashamed,  you  know, 
To  hold  up  my  head  among  folks, 

When  next  Sabbath  to  meetin'  we  go ! " 
And   I  smoothed  his  forehead  a  little, 

And  coaxed  till  my  dear  old  man 
Jest  give  me  a  kiss,  and  said,  "  Wai,  dear, 

I  'm  willin'  to  sell,  if  you  can." 

Wai,  next  day,  bright  and  airly, 
When  husband  was  goin'  away, 


28 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


He  stopped  to  the  barn-yard  fence 

A  minit  or  so,  jest  to  say, — 
"  You  're  sure  you  're  wantin'  to  sell  the  things  ? 

Don't  go  and  be  hasty,  wife ! " 
And  then  he  came  back  and  kissed  me. 

Wai,  dearie,  to  save  my  life 


I  could  n't  see  thro'  my  glasses 

For  the  tears  that  were  dimmin'  'em  so, 
As  I  stood  in  the  kitchen  doorway 

A-watchin'  the  old  man  go. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  29 

But  't  warn't  very  long  afore  some  one  came, 

Knockin'  agen  at  the  door, 
And  them  two  men  stood  there  a-bowin', 

Jest  as  on  the  day  before. 

The  fust  thing  they  asked  me  to  sell  'em 

Was  Asa's  old  favorite  cheer; 
But  you  '11  laugh  when   I  tell  you  I  saw  him 

A-settin'  into  it,  my  dear, 
As  plain  as  if  really  he  'd  been  there, 

And,  law  sakes !    I  '11  honestly  say 
It  seemed  as  tho'  if  they  'd  took  the  chair, 

They  'd  a-taken  my  man  away. 

For  a  picter  came  quickly  afore  me 

Of  how  he  did  like  to  rest 
(And  finally  get  to  snorin' 

With  his  chin  down  low  on  his  breast) 


30  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

In  that  homely  old  cheer  they  wanted ; 

And  I  got  to  thinkin',  you  know, 
Of  how  that  cheer  was  a  part  of  ourselves 

In  the  days  of  the  long  ago. 

For  I  could  n't  forget  the  time,  ah,  no, 
To  go  further  back  a  good  bit 

(Altho'  you  saucy  young  witch 
May  set  there  a-laughin'  at  it), 

When  all  alone  in  our  own  snu^  home, 

o 

My  husband  with  me  on  his  knee 
Would  sit  with  our  arms  'round  each  other, 
Happy  as  we  could  be. 

And  the  time  that  followed,  you  know,  dear, 

When  merry  as  bees  in  clover 
Our  little  ones,  restless  and  sturdy, 

Had  clambered  the  old  thing  over; 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


And  father,  he'd  set  there  a-laughin'  — 

Ah  me !    the  picter  was  plain, 
With  the  babies  a-settin'  upon  his  knee, 


Over  and  over  agen. 


So   I  said  to  the  men,  "  Not  that,  sir, 

For  I  can't  let  it  go!" 
With  that  they  looked  at  me  quite  surprised ; 


32  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

But  I  up  and  told  'em,  you  know, 
How  Asa  had  allers  loved  that  cheer, 

And  thinkin'  the  matter  o'er, 
I  guessed  we  'd  keep  it  till  he  had  gone 

Where  cheers  warn't  needed  no  more. 

Wai,  when  we  came  to  the  garret 

They  found  a  bedstead.     (You  see, 
I  'd  long  ago  tucked  it  away  up  there, 

For  it  warn't  any  use  to  me.) 
As  plain  and  old  and  ugly  a  thing 

As  ever  was  made.     But  there ! 
As  soon  as  they  wanted  to  take  it, 

'T  was  somethin'  I   could  n't  spare. 

For  the  tears  that  were  dimmin'  my  spectacles 
Could  n't  shet  out  the  sight 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  33 

IF 

Of  the  dear  little  heads  that  had  lain  there 
For  many  and  many  a  night, 


So  warm  and  snug  on  the  pillow 
In  that  very  same  little  bed, 

After  each  darlin'  had  lisped  a  prayer, 
And  the  last  good-night  was  said. 

I  polished  my  specs  a  little, 
And  then   I  says  to  the  men, 

"  I  reckon  we  won't  decide  'bout  that 
Until  I  see  you  agen. 


34  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

For  there  's  many  a  thing  comes  afore  me 

To  hinder  its  goin'  away ; 
And  so  long  as  there  ain't  no  hurry, 

I  '11  think  on  't  another  day." 

Wai,  they  went  on  with  their  lookin' 

From  one  thing  to  another, 
Pokin'  and  rummagin'  all  around, 

And  forever  a-nudgin'  each  other, 
Till  at  last  they  spied  in  a  corner 

A  spinnin'-wheel.     "  Massay  !  "    I  said, 
"  If  you  're  thinkin'  of  buyin'  that  ere  thing. 

You  must  be  out  of  your  head ! " 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  35 

Says  one  of  'em,   "  Madam,  that 's  somethin' 

We  very  much  want,  and  make   bold 
To  ask  you  to  sell  it."     "Oh,  lawful  sakes!" 

Said  I,  "  now  ain't  it  tew  old  ? " 
They  shrugged  their  shoulders  a  mite,  and  then 

They  laughed  a  minit  or  two, 
And  one  of  'em  said,  "  We  '11  buy  it,  ma'am, 

If  it 's  all  the  same  to  you." 


Says   I,  "  Young  man,  be  you  married  ? 

Does  your  wife  know  how  to  spin  ? " 
"  Married ! "    laughed  he,  "  now  that 's  a  scrape 

I   have  n't  yet  got  in ! " 
I  did  n't  exactly  know  what  he  meant, 

But  I  thought  I  'd  let  him  know 
That  spinniri  had  gone  out  of  fashion 

Ever  so  long  ago. 


5  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

"  I  'm  willin'  to  sell  it,  Mister, 

But  I  feel  it  a  dooty  to  say 
That  this  'ere  spinnin'-wheel  ain't  no  use, 

And  will  only  be  in  your  way. 
But  law,  if  you  really  want  it, 

If  you  're  set  on  havin'  the  thing, 
I  dunno  but  you  're  welcome, 

For  the  sake  of  the  price  it  '11  bring." 


So  they  marked  it  down  in  their  book, 

And,  lookin'  round  a  little  more, 
They  diskivered  a  queer  old  table 

A-standin'  behind  the  door. 
The  oddest-lookin'  table 

That  ever  was  seen,  I  declare, 
And  there  did  n't  seem  no  reason 

Why  that  thing  I  could  n't  spare. 


GRANDMAS  ATTIC  TREASURES.  37 

It  was  sort  of  convenient  in  one  way, 

It  pulled  out  as  fur  as  you  chose, 
And  shet  agen  as  small  and  snug 

As  you  please.     Why,  ev'ry  one  knows 
Them  tables  went  out  of  fashion 

Longer  ago,  I  reckon,  dear, 
Than  most  folks  now  can  remember,  — 

'T  was  nigh  onto  eighty  year, 


Yes,  nigh  onto  eighty  year,  I  'm  sure, 

If  it  was  a  single  day, 
When  those  pryin'  creeturs  diskivered  it, 

And  wanted  to  take  it  away. 
For  Asa's  folks  had  owned  it 

Afore  I  married  their  son ; 
And  among  the  presents  they  give  us, 

That  'ere  table  was  one. 


38  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC  TREASURES. 

Thinks  I,  "  They  may  as  well  have  it," 

So  they  writ  it  down  in  their  book. 
And  —  wal,  I  hain't  time  to  tell  ye 

Of  all  those  men  would  'a'  took 
If  I  'd  only  give  'em  the  chance. 

But  I  got  so  clean  tuckered  out, 
That  I  hardly  knew  for  sartain 

What  on  airth  I  was  about. 


So  at  last  they  whispered  together, 

And  one  of  'em  says,  says  he, 
"  Will  fifty  dollars  pay  you 

For  the  things  we  Ve  chosen  ?  "     Law  me ! 
I  could  n't  believe  my  senses ; 

But  I  felt  in  a  sorter  flurry, 
And  I  told  'em  yes,  and  then,  my  dear, 

They  went  away  in  a  hurry, 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

And  left  me  a-standin'  and  lookin' 

At  a  big  bill  there  in  my  hand ; 
And  I  tell  you,  child,  it  did  look  good, 

And  I  felt  consid'rable  grand. 
All  that  for  a  lot  of  rubbidge  ? 

Ah,  deary  me !    I  never  ! 
And  I  could  'a'  kept  on  lookin'  ~ 

And  wonderin'  on  it  forever! 


39 


Wai,  the  money  I  put  in  the  stockin' 
Atop  of  the  kitchen  shelf, 


40  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

And  the  very  fust  chance  I  had  to  think 

A  minit  all  to  myself, 
Says  I,  "  I  '11  jest  step  to  the  garret 

And  dust  off  them  things  a  bit." 
Oh  my !    how  flustered  and  queer  I  felt 

The  minit  I  thought  of  it ! 

So,  arter  I  'd  gone  to  the  garret, 

And  began  a-dustin',  wal,  there ! 
I  had  the  pecul'arest  feelin's 

Take  holt  of  me,  I  declare ! 
I  looked  at  the  spinnin?-wheel,  dearie, 

And  somehow,   I  could  n't  tell  why, 
Before  I  hardly  could  help  it 

I  was  e'enamost  ready  to  cry. 

There  warn't  nobody  to  see  me, 
And   I  felt  mighty  glad, 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


For  ev'rything  seemed  possest  to 

make 
My  old  heart  troubled  and  sad. 


So,  restin'  my  head  agen  the  wheel 

In  a  sort  of  idle  way, 
I  let  myself  fall  to  thinkin', 

And  lettin'  my  mem'ry  stray 


To  the  time  when  I  was  a  slip  of  a  gal 

A-wearin'  Asa's  ring, 
Too  happy  to  do  a  thing  all  day 

But  laugh  and  chatter  and  sing. 


GRANDMAS  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


And  I  minded  the  times  the  wheel  went  round 

To  the  merry  tunes  I  sung, 
In  the  days  when  skies  were  allers  blue, 

'Cause  Asa  and  I  were  young. 

There  was  many  a  lovin'  secret 
That  I  told  to  my  wheel,  my  dear, 

With  the  blushes  a-burnin'  on  my  cheek, 
Tho'  nobody  else  was  near, 


As  out  on  the  farm-house  porch   I  spun 
In  the  pleasant  summer  weather, 

Weavin'  many  a  hank  of  thread 
And  gay  romance  together. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

But  there  came  a  lover's  quarrel,  child, 

A  quarrel  'twixt  Asa  and  me, 
And  oh !    the  days,  the  mis'rable  days, 

When  his  face  I  did  n't  see  ! 
How  did  it  happen  ?     Wai,  I  forget, 

It  was  all  so  long  ago ; 
But  there  !   young  tongues  are  hasty  of  speech, 

And  so  were  ours,  I  know. 


43 


How  long  did  it  last  ?     Oh,  wal,  my  child, 

It  really  appeared  to  me 
That  m  in  its  were  fairly  hours, 

And  the  days  seemed  weeks  to  be ! 
I  turned  my  wheel  with  a  laggard  foot, 

And  I  had  no  heart  for  song; 
And  try  as   I  might,  it  seemed  as  tho' 

My  work  was  bound  to  go  wrong. 


44  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

But  one  bright  day,  I  remember, 

When  ev'rythin'  seemed  so  glad 
That  it  looked  as  if  I  was  the  only  one 

Of  God's  creeturs  who  was  sad, 
I  was  settin'  afore  my  spinnin'-wheel, 

But  the  wheel  was  movin'  so  slow 
That  it  did  n't  amount  to  nothin', 

And  finally  ceased  to  go ; 


For  I  dropped  my  hands  in  my  lap, 

And  I  let  my  foot  from  the  treadle  fall, 
And   I  set  jest  idly  thinkin', 

And  seein'  nothin'  at  all, 
Except  the  face  I  was  carryin' 

In  my  heart  from  mornin'  till  night, 
And  holdin'  fast  in  my  dreams 

Till  once  again  it  was  light. 


GRANDMAS  ATTIC   TREASURES.  45 

Wai,  as  I  was  settin'  there  lonely  like, 
With  many  a  tear  on  my  cheek, 


Somebody's  hands  went  over  my  eyes,  — 
Ah  !    not  a  word  did  he  speak. 

But  I  knew  it  was  no  one  but  Asa, 
And  my  heart  got  a-beatin'  so  fast 

I  could  n't  move  or  say  nothin' 
Till  arter  a  spell  was  past ; 


46  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

But  I  lifted  my  hands  from  my  lap, 

And  I  clasped  'em  over  his  own, 
And  the  tears  they  came  like  raindrops; 

And  not  only  my  tears  alone. 
For  I  felt  the  tears  from  my  lover's  eyes 

A-splashin'  agen  and  agen 
On  the  back  of  my  hand,  as  he  bowed  his  head, 

And  kissed  my  forehead  ;    and  then  — 


Ah,  wal,  no  matter  what  followed ; 

But  till  the  sun  was  low  in  the  west 
We  sang  together,  my  heart  and  I, 

And  —  law!   you  can  guess  the  rest. 
For  Asa  called  round  in  the  evenin', 

And  we  talked  our  trouble  away, 
And  there  hain't  been  another  quarrel 

'Twixt  us  since  that  glad  day. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  47 

Wai,  you  see  I  was  thinkin'  of  all  those  things 

That  day  in  the  garret,  and  so 
I  kinder  hated  the  promise  I  'd  give 

To  let  the  old  wheel  go. 
But  I  dusted  it  off  and  fixed  it  up, 

For  says  I  to  myself,  "  I  'm  sure, 
To  break  a  promise  once  made  's  a  thing 

Hannah  Spriggins  can  never  endure ! " 


Then  I  went  to  the  table  to  dust  it  off, 

And  tidy  that  up  for  the  men, 
Till  those  same  cur'tis  feelin's  possest  me, 

And  dimmed  my  glasses  agen. 
That  table  !    I  minded  when  my  old  man 

Sot  to  it  alone  with  me 
(When  he  warn't  old  by  a  sight  of  years) 

A-drinkin'  his  cup  of  tea. 


48 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


There  was  only  two  of  us  then,  you  know, 

For  I  was  a  bit  of  a  wife, 
And  never  a  thought  of  trouble  or  care 

Could  hurt  my  giddy  young  life. 
I  allers  did  my  own  cookin', 

And  husband,  he  praised  me  well, 
And  I  was  proud  of  our  little  home, 

Prouder  than  words  could  tell. 


Then  by  and  by,  when  the  babies  came 
To  open  our  hearts  yet  more, 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

We  made  the  table  larger  a  bit, — 
Large  enough  to  hold  four. 

For  the  little  fellers  they  grew  so  fast, 
The  two  little  dimpled  dears, 

That  it  warn't  no  time  afore  they  set 
To  the  table  in  little  high  cheers. 


49 


Yes,  they  were  twins,  them  fust  that  came, 

And  nobody  ever  see 
Sturdier,  smarter  babies  than  them 

That  belonged  to  father  and  me. 


5<D  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

But  sorrow  came,  and  —  wal,  we  made 

That  table  small  as  before, 
And  it  almost  broke  our  hearts  to  know 

We  were  only  two  once  more. 

Wal,  time  went  on,  and  't  was  quite  a  spell 

'Fore  we  lengthened  it  out  again. 
But  there  came  at  last  to  the  lonely  house  • 

To  lift  its  burden  of  pain  — 
The  blessed  sound  of  sweet  voices, 

So  dear  to  a  mother's  ear, 
And  the  laugh  of  my  growin'  children 

Was  glad  and  pleasant  to  hear. 

And  then  my  man  and  I  we  pulled 

That  table  to  sech  a  size 
As  gladdened  our  hearts,  you  may  be  sure, 

And  gladdened  our  lovin'  eyes. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


Law!   sech  a  row  of  the  little  heads! 

Black  and  yaller  and  brown ! 
We  used  to  think  them  babies  of  ours 

Were  jest  the  nicest  in  town. 


But  have  n't  you  noticed,  dearie, 

Sometimes  on  a  summer's  day, 
When  there  ain't  a  cloud  to  be  seen  in  the  sky, 

And  as  fur  as  you  look  away 
Over  the  hills  and  medders 

The  sunshine  seems  so  bright, 
It  seems  as  tho'  't  would  be  allers  day, 

And  there  warn't  sech  a  thing  as  night? 


52  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

Wai,  that  is  how  it  appeared  to  me, 

And  I  never  once  dreamed  of  sorrow ; 
Bein'  so  pleased  with  the  present  day, 

I  could  n't  think  of  the  morrow, 
Nor  give  a  thought  to  the,  sartain  fact 

That  a  night  must,  lie  between 
Two  days,  you  know,  no  matter  if  they 

Are  the  brightest  ever  seen. 


And  so  when  the  shadows  gathered, 

They  caught  me  unprepared, 
And  of  many  homes  by  a  fever  robbed, 

Our  dear  home  was  not  spared. 
And  father  and  I  awoke  one  day 

From  a  long,  unconscious  rest, 
To  find  our  darlin's,  our  own  dear  birds, 

Had  flown  from  the  old  home  nest. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  53 

And  he  and  I  were  again  alone, 

Just  as  we  were  afore, 
Just  as  we  'd  been,  you  see,  dear, 

At  the  very  fust  start.     Once  more 
We  pushed  the  table  together, 

And  at  every  meal  we  two 
Felt  so  heart-sick  and  lonely 

We  scarcely  knew  what  to  do. 


And  at  last  I  could  n't  a-bear  it, 

And  I  said  to  Asa  one  day, 
"  I  wish,"  said   I,  "  you  'd  let  me  put 

This  table  out  of  the  way ; 
And  s'posin'  you  trade  for  another 

That  ain't  so  lonely  as  this." 
My  man,  he  pondered  a  minit, 

Then  came  and  give  me  a  kiss. 


54  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC  TREASURES. 

"  Ay,  Hannah,  you  're  missin'  the  babies ! 

Wai,  there  is  too  much  of  space 
In  this  old  house,  dear  wife,  I  know, 

At  best,  it 's  a  lonesome  place ! 
But  it 's  holdin'  you  yet,  thank  Heaven, 

And,  please  God,  it  '11  hold  you  long, 
And  spare  your  man,  my  dearest, 

To  work  for  you  good  and  strong." 


So  'twarn't  long  arter,  it  happened 

He  traded  a  load  of  hay, 
And  brought  me  home  from  market-town 

A  bran-new  table  one  day.  • 
And  I  put  the  old  one  clean  out  of  sight, 

And  forgot  it  arter  a  while, 
'Specially  when  a  new  baby  came, 

And  we  learned  a^en  to  smile. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


55 


And  all  the  years  it  had  stood  there, 
Gettin'  so  awful  old,  you  see, 

Our  one  little  baby  was  growin' 
A  pretty  young  gal  to  be. 


At  fifteen  she  was  a  beauty, 
At  sixteen  the  village  belle ; 

And  —  my!    the  half  of  her  lovers 
I  'm  sure  I  never  can  tell. 


56  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

Wai,  a  likely  young  feller  came  to  us, 

And  courted  her  up  and  down, 
And  the  end  of  it  was  she  married  him, 

And  went  to  live  in  his  town. 
And  soon  he  took  her  to  foreign  parts, 

And  made  her  so  grand  and  fine 
You  'd  scarcely  believe  she  'd  ever  been 

A  darter  of  Asa's  and  mine. 


Oh,  yes !   she  kept  on  livin'  there 

For  many  a  month.     And  then 
It  happened  one  day  when  Asa  had  gone 

Down  to  the  fields  with  the  men, 
There  came  a  letter  for  him  and  me, 

And  these  are  the  words  it  said : 
"  A  daughter  was  born  last  week  to  us, 

To-day  her  mother  lies  dead!" 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  57 

I  did  n't  get  no  farther,  child, 

For  I  fainted  clean  away, 
And  Asa  was  fetched  from  the  medder, 

And  for  many  a  weary  day 
He  nussed  me  keerfully,  dearie, 

But  oh !    it  was  long  afore 
I  could  dry  my  eyes  from  their  weepin' 

For  the  darter  I  'd  see  no  more. 


They  kept  the  baby  in  toreign  parts 
Where  its  father's  relations  were, 

And  the  child  knew  'bout  as  little  of  me 
As   I  ever  heard  of  her. 

But  I  could  n't  help  thinkin'  all  the  same 
That  things  miafht  come  about 

Zj  <_? 

So  that  somewhere  on  the  face  of  the  airth 
I  'd  find  my  grandchild  out. 


58  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES, 

But  I  'm  wanderin'  off  my  subject, 

Let 's  see  —  wal,  about  the  bed. 
I  went  to  that  next  to  dust  it, 

And,  "  I  won't  be  foolish !  "    I  said  ; 
So   I  stood  beside  it  detarmined 

To  forget  the  past.     But  there ! 
There  was  no  use  fightin'  agen  it, 

For  law!    dear,   I  declare, 


As  I  stood  there  lookin'  down  on  it, 

For  all  the  time  passed  away, 
For  all   I  had  turned  an  old  woman, 

Wrinkled,  bony,  and  gray, 
Yet  still  thro'  the  mist  on  my  glasses, 

And  thro'  mist  of  the  years  long  gone, 
I  could  see  my  lost  ones  before  me, 

As  long  ago,  in  the  morn 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

Of  my  motherhood,  gladsome  and  happy, 
When  the  twins — little  Asa  and  Ben  — 

Had  played  from  the  dawnin'  of  daylight 
Till  came  the  gloamin',  and  then 


59 


I  would  gather  'em  close  in  my  arms 
Till  the  droopin'  of  each  golden  head 

Would  make  father  remind  me,  "  Come,  mother, 
You  'd  better  jest  snug  'em  in  bed." 


60  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

Ah  me !    wal,  you  Ve  hearn  how  the  Shepherd 

That  loves  little  lambs,  thought  it  best 
To  call  my  lambkins  to  heaven 

In  his  own  lovin'  arms  to  find  rest. 
So  the  bed,  for  a  spell  it  lay  empty, 

Till  came   Hiram  and  Eben,  and  soon 
Two  more  little  fellers  a-claimin' 

A  share  in  the  lullaby  tune. 


Laws !    how  that  bed  kept  a-stretchin' 

Like  rubber  to  hold  jest  one  more, 
Until   I  went  up  ev'ry  evenin' 

To  kiss  and  say  good-night  to*  four 
Little  frolicksome,  rosy-cheeked  youngsters 

All  liftin'  their  dear  arms  to  me, 
A-tryin'  to  hug  and  kiss  mother 

Ahead  of  each  other,  you  see. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  6 1 

Wai,  how  could  I  help  it,  now,  dearie, 

If  while   I  stood  thinkin'  that  day 
Of  the  forms  and  the  sweet  baby  faces 

So  long,  oh,  so  long  passed  away, 
These  foolish  old  eyes  of  mine  weakened, 

And  at  last  I  jest  dropped  my  head, 
And  givin'  a  sob  I  could  n't  keep  back, 

"Oh,  babies!   my  babies!"    I  said, 


"  Only  jest  for  one  minit  to  see  ye 

A-lyin'  so  merry  and  bright, 
And  waitin'  for  mammy  to  kiss  ye, 

My  darlin's,  for  sweet  good-night! 
Only  jest  for  one  hour  of  havin' 

Ye  all  to  myself  once  more ! 
I  'd  love  ye,   I  'd  kiss  ye,  my  babies, 

As  never  I  kissed  ye  afore ! 


62 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


"  Only  jest  to  be  able  to  kneel 

With  my  cheek  agen  yours,  my  dears, 

A-hearin'  ye  lispin'  your  prayers  once  more ! 
Ah  me !    I  'm  thinkin'  my  tears 

Would  all  be  a-turnin'  to  di'monds 

With  the  smiles  that  would  shine  in  my  eyes, 


Jest  like  as  the  dewdrops  sparkle 
In  the  sun  of  the  mornin'  skies." 


GRANDMA  'S  A  TTIC   TREASURES. 

Oh,  wal,  it  warn't  no  use  frettin', 

And  I  thought,  arter  all,  't  would  be  best 
To  forget  all  about  the  old  treasures 

And  let  the  bed  go  with  the  rest. 
So,  arter  I  'd  left  the  garret 

I  went  to  the  settin'-room 
And  drew  up  the  winder  curtains 

To  lighten  the  twilight's  gloom. 


And  next  day,  bright  and  quite  airly 

(I  'd  almost  hoped  they  'd  be  late), 
Two  men  came  drivin'  a  waggin 

Close  alongside  of  our  gate. 
(Father  had  gone  an  hour  afore), 

Says  I  to  the  men,  "  I  s'pose 
You  're  wantin'  to  cart  the  duds  away. 

They  ain't  wuth  much,  land  knows, 


64  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

But  I  'm  kinder  sorry  I  sold  'em." 

"  Wai,  ma'am,"  said  the  man  to  me, 
"  I  reckon  you  '11  have  to  let  'em  go, 

A  bargain  's  a  bargain,"  says  he. 
So  they  h'isted  'em  into  the  waggin, 

And  land !    they  worked  so  fast 
That  afore  I  knew  it  they  driv  away, 

And  —  my  things  were  gone  at  last! 


Wai,  arter  their  dust  had  settled  down, 

And  my  kitchen  chores  were  done, 
I  looked  at  the  empty  places 

Silently,  one  by  one. 
I  'm  free  to  confess   I  polished  my  specs, 

(You  know  I  allers  do 
When  I  'm  the  least  mite  flustered,  — 

Some  day,  dear,  so  may  you.} 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


But  I  tried  to  keep  up  my  sperrits 

Till  dinner-time  came,  and  then 
(When  Asa  came  home)  I  clean  give  up, 

And  bust  into  tears  agen. 
My  good  man  did  n't  say  nothin'  at  fust, 

But  he  drew  his  cheer  by  me, 
And  puttin'  his  arm  about  my  waist, 

He  pulled  me  down  on  his  knee. 


66  GRANDMAS  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

"  Hannah,  old  woman,"  he  says  to  me, 

A-passin'  his  dear  old  hand 
Over  my  cheek  so  lovin'  like, 

As  tho'  he  could  onderstand 
Jest  how  my  heart  was  a-throbbin', 

By  old-time  memories  stirred, 
And  he  had  to  do  all  the  talkin', 

For  I  could  n't  speak  a  word. 


"  Hannah,  old  woman,"  he  says  to  me, 

"  Thro'  clouds  and  sunny  weather 
You  and  I,  my  dear  old  wife, 

Have  been  growin'  old  together. 
Growin'  old  together,  dear  heart, 

Ay,  spared  to  comfort  each  other, 
And  tho'  our  children  are  all  asleep, 

We  still  are  father  and  mother 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  67 

"  To  sons  who  never  will  break  our  hearts 

With  goin'  their  wilful  ways 
(Like  that  there  boy  of  the  Deacon's 

And  the  son  of  the  Widder  Hays). 
We  're  nearin'  the  harbor,  ain't  we,  wife  ? 

And  the  children  will  ferry  us  o'er 
The  dark,  deep  river  that  we  must  cross 

To  get  to  the  happy  shore. 


"  T  would  be  hard  to  bear  now,  would  n't  it,  wife, 

If  one  of  us  had  to  live 
Without  the  comfort  and  lovin'  care 

The  other  is  ready  to"  give. 
If  one  of  us  slept  with  the  children, — 

Wai,  there !    the  dear  Lord  knows 
That  it  will  come  'most  too  hard  on  one 

Arter  the  other  goes ! 


68  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

"  So  he  keeps  us  trudgin'  together,  dear, 

Along  on  the  way,  and   I 
Am  nowise  afeard  he  11  forget  us 

Till  it  comes  our  turn  to  die. 
Don't  grieve  no  more  o'er  the  things  you  sold, 

We  needed  the  cash,   I  know, 
And  I  guess,  old  woman,  that  you  were  wise 

Decidin'  to  let  'em  go." 


"  Oh  husband  ! "    I  said,  a-dryin'  my  tears, 

"  I  wish  there  had  n't  a  mite 
Of  the  dear  old  stuff  gone  outer  the  house. 

I  'd  give  a  deal  for  a  sight 
Of  that  plain  old  table  !   oh  my !    I  'm  sure 

I  must  have  been  nigh  possest, 
To  have  spared  that  table  and  that  there  bed! 

I  'm  full  of  grief  and  onrest 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  69 

"  With  hankerin'  arter  them  all  agen  ! 

The  empty  places,  you  see, 
Are,  oh!   so  empty,  dear  Asa, 

They  look  so  lonely  to  me  ! 
Wai,  there  's  the  money  a-lyin' 

Atop  of  the  kitchen  shelf; 
Do  take  it  out  of  my  sight,  my  dear, 

For  I  'm  e'enamost  sick  of  myself ! " 


So,  arter  that  a  week  went  by 

Quiet  and  peaceful,  and  we 
Were  gettin'  used  to  the  spaces 

Where  the  old  truck  used  to  be. 
I  had  my  Sunday  bunnit, 

And  a  harnsome  new  green  shawl, 
And  Asa  had  the  promise 

Of  the  Deacon's  cow  in  the  fall. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


And  then  one  day  the  Deacon  driv 

Along  beside  our  gate, 
And  hollered,  "  Hannah  Spriggins  ! 

Be  ye  there  ?     Wai,   I  can't  wait, 
So  be  spry,  for  here  's  a  letter, 

And   I  reckon  it  comes  from  York; 
I  thought  I  'd  bring  it  along  this  way, 

But  I  hain't  no  time  to  talk." 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC  TREASURES.  71 

I  finished  my  work  in  the  kitchen, 

A-wonderin',  as  you  may  guess, 
Whoever  on  airth  could  have  writ  to  me. 

And  there,  I  'm  free  to  confess 
I  felt  that  nervous  and  flustered 

That  I  got  in  a  presperation, 
And  thought  of  a  hundred  worriments 

That  had  n't  got  no  foundation. 


But  I  could  n't  feel  ready  to  open  it, 

For  somehow  I  did  n't  keer 
To  read  the  letter  jest  then,  you  see, 

When  father  was  n't  near. 
So  I  finished  a-rollin'  my  dough  out, 

And  settin'  my  bread  to  bake, 
And  I  tried  to  forget  the  letter 

In  a  pie  I  had  to  make. 


72  GRANDMA  rS  A  TTIC   TREASURES. 

Wai,  when  we  opened  the  letter, 

And  read  it  keerful  thro', 
We  both  of  us  looked  at  each  other,  — 

I  laughed,  and  Asa  did,  too. 
Then  right  in  the  midst  of  our  laughin' 

What  did  I   do  but  cry? 
While  Asa,  dear  heart,  I  heard  him 

A-heavin'  a  sort  of  sigh. 


For  what  do  you  think !     My  grandchild 

Had  come  from  foreign  parts 
With  some  of  her  fine  relations, 

And  the  yearnin'  prayer  in  the  hearts 
Of  Asa  and  me,  it  seemed  as  tho' 

The  Lord  was  willin'  at  last 
To  grant,  and  "  grandma  and  grandpa's  "  love 

Was  growin'  sudden  and  fast. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


73 


The  child  expressed  a  desire  to  see 

Her  mother's  early  home. 
"  Would  grandma  and  grandpa,"  she  wondered, 

"  Be  willin'  to  let  her  come 
To  the  dear  old  farm  for  two  or  three  days 

To  get  acquainted,  before 
Her  uncle  would  have  to  take  her  back 

To  the  distant  English  shore  ? " 


74  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

Wai,  when  she  came,  law!    dearie, 

We  could  scarce  believe  our  eyes! 
It  did  n't  seem  as  if  Polly's  child 

tf 

Could  have  grown  to  sech  a  size! 
A  winsome  lassie  of  sixteen  year, 

With  her  mother's  bonny  face, 
And  carryin',  too,  in  all  her  ways, 

Her  mother's  innocent  grace. 


I  rubbed  my  specs  till  they  shone  so  clear 

I  could  n't  make  no  mistake  ; 
Then   I  took  her  face  between  my  hands, 

And  my  heart  was  fit  to  break 
With  lookin'  into  the  soft  blue  eyes 

That  were  my  dead  Polly's  own, 
And  hearin'  my  darter's  voice  agen 

In  my  grandchild's  merry  tone. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

And  father,  he  kissed  her  agen  and  agen, 
Tho'  he  could  n't  find  words  to  speak ; 

But  he  laid  his  wrinkled  face,  my  dear, 
Agen  her  rosy  young  cheek. 


75 


"  She  's  like  her  mother,  dear  wife,"  he  said, 
"  The  child  who  played  at  our  side 

In  the  years  agone,  afore  ever  she  dreamed 
Of  bein'  a  rich  man's  bride." 


76  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

How  long  did  she  stay?     Not  long,  oh  no, 

For  her  folks  they  had  to  go 
'Way  back  to  their  own  fine  home  agen 

In  foreign  parts ;    and  so 
There  came  to  the  poor  old  farm  at  last 

A  lonely,  sorrowful  day 
When  the  child  we  loved  gave  her  last  sweet  kiss. 

And  turned  from  our  home  away. 


And  arter  that  a  couple  of  years 

Went  pleasant  and  peaceful  by, 
And  Asa  and  me,  we  jogged  along 

Under  a  shiny  sky. 
And  there  warn't  no  tribulations 

Nor  trials,  dearie,  you  see, 
A-tarnin'  up,  as  there  had  been  once, 

A-botherin'  Asa  and  me. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

But  durin'  then  my  grandchild, 

She  married  a  man ;    and  then 
She  said  good-by  to  English  shores 

And  came  to  York  agen. 
And,  my !   she  lived  so  fash'nable, 

And  grew  so  fine  and  grand, 
I  never  could  screw  up  courage  — 

You  '11  easily  onderstand  — 


77 


To  go  and  stay  to  her  house, 

As  many  a  time  she  sent 
An  invite  pressin'  and  hearty. 

But  I  'd  'a'  been  glad  to  went 
If  I  had  n't  'a'  had  a  feelin' 

That  a  plain  old  wrinkled  creetur 
With  nothin'  at  all  to  brag  on, 

Either  in  form  or  featur, 


78  GRANDMA  *S  A  TTIC   TREASURES. 

Would  sorter  be  out  of  place 

Among  things  so  harnsome  and  new. 
And  there  was  father,  my  poor  old  man 

He  'd  miss  me  sadly,  I  knew. 
But  then,  I  hankered  to  see  her, 

My  Polly's  motherless  darter; 
And,  wal,  I  finally  said   I  'd  go. 

'Cause  Asa,  he  said  I  dighter. 


So  I  put  my  duds  in  the  old  hair  trunk, 

And  airly  one  pleasant  day 
Asa,  he  hitched  up  old  Dobbin, 

And  together  we  driv  away 
To  the  rail-keer  station.     Oh,  massy  sakes 

How  I  did  feel,  my  dear, 
At  partin'  with  Asa,  for  he  and  me  'd 

Kept  close  for  nigh  fifty  year. 


GRANDMA  'S  A  TTIC   TREASURES. 


79 


And  now  I  was  goin'  to  leave  him  ! 

Wai,  there,  as  I  set  at  his  side, 
I  'm  free  to  confess,  right  straight  in  the  road 

I  presently  up  and  cried. 
But  then  old  Miss  Higgins  had  promised 

To  look  a  bit  arter  my  man, 
And,  "Asa,  my  dear,"  said  I,  "you  know 

I  '11  come  back  as  soon  as  I  can ! " 


8o  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

So  at  last  I  got  into  the  steam-keer, 

And  Asa,  he  called  to  me  : 
"  Good-by,  old  woman,  take  keer  of  yourself, 

Hannah,  dear  heart ! "   called  he. 
And  then  there  came  a  rushin'  noise, 

And  my  head  felt  dizzy  and  queer, 

And  thinks  I  to  myself,  "  I  'd  give  a  sight 

\ 

If  I  only  was  rit  here  !  " 


Wai,  I  got  to  my  grandchild's  house  at  last; 

And,  sakes !    I  was  'most  beat 
To  see  sech  elegant  carpits 

Lyin'  round  under  folks'  feet ! 
And  me  a-walkin'  onto  'em  as  if 

They  could  n't  be  spiled,  my  dear, 
And,  law !   if  you  '11  believe  me,  child, 

I  did  n't  see  one  cheer 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC  TREASURES. 


8l 


That  I  really  darst  to  set  down  in, 

For  somehow  it  'peared  as  tho' 
They  was  powerful  weak  and  brittle, 

Not  a  bit  like  mine,  you  know. 
And  there  were  a  sight  of  riggers 

On  marble  stools  and  sich, 
And  a  heap  of  confusin'  gimcracks,  — 

I   did  n't  know  which  from  which. 


82  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

And  the  times  I  bumped  my  poor  old  head 

Agen  a  big  lookin'-glass, 
When  I  see  a  room  where  I  wanted  to  go, 

A-tryin',  you  see,  to  pass 
Right  into  it!   for  how  could  I  tell 

'T  was  only  a  glass  ?    and,  law ! 
I  never  see  sech  deceivin'  things 

In  my  born  days  afore ! 


But  arter  I  'd  been  a-visitin'  there 

For  nigh  on  a  week,  one  day 
I  was  kinder  wanderin'  round  the  house 

In  a  sort  of  homesick  way, 
When  I  see  my  darter  in  her  boodoor, 

And  she  said  to  me,  "  Come  in ! " 
So  I  went  and  set  on  the  sofy. 

Wai,  there !    I  can't  begin 


GRANDMAS  ATTIC  TREASURES.  83 

To  tell  the  half  of  the  furniture 

That  was  fillin'  the  place!     Thinks  I, 
"  It 's  wuth  a  creetur's  life  to  move, 

And  I  'm  sure  I   dassent  try ! " 
So  I  went  to  knittin'  on  Asa's  sock 

(It  was  in  my  pocket,  you  know ; 
I  allers  carry  my  knittin'-work 

Wherever  I  chance  to  go), 


And  Polly,  she  set  a-readin', 

And  we  was  as  quiet  as  mice, 
When  all  on  a  sudden  I  see  a  thing 

That  riz  me  up  in  a  trice. 
It  was  only  a  little  old  table, 

All  polished  and  shinin';    but  law! 
It  looked  amazin'  like  that  I  'd  sold 

To  the  men  so  long  afore. 


84  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

"  Polly,"  says  I,  "  ain't  that  there  thing 

A  little  bit  out  of  place 
In  this  here  fine  house  of  yours  ? "     And  then 

She  laughed  right  out  in  my  face. 
"  That  table,  you  mean  ?    why,  grandma, 

That 's  as  old  as  the  hills,  you  know ! " 
Says  I,  a-rubbin'  my  spectacles, 

Says  I,  "  Wai,  yes,  that 's  so. 


"  For  I  had  one  amazin'  like  it, 

And  a  lot  more  rubbidge,   I  sold 
To  a  couple  of  crazy  lunatics 

Who  wanted  'em  'cause  they  was  old. 
And  you  would  n't  believe  two  human  souls 

Would  have  actually  paid  me  money 
For  cheers  and  tables  and  real  old  things ; 

Now,  Polly,  was  n't  it  funny ! 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  85 

"  But  they  lugged  'em  away,  and  it  'peared  to  me 

I  missed  'em  a  sight.     It 's  queer 
How  that  there  table  should  make  me  think 

Of  mine.     But,  Polly,  my  dear, 
If  I  was  you,  when  my  fine  friends  call 

I  'd  be  'shamed  to  have  'em  see 
A  thing  so  out  of  fashion ;    it  spiles 

Your  room,  it  appears  to  me!" 


With  that  I  put  my  spectacles  on 
To  take  a  good  look  at  the  thing, 


36  GRANDMAS  ATTIC  TREASURES. 

A-standin'  right  out  conspicuous 

With  its  drawers,  and  each  brass  rin| 

A-shinin'  as  bright  as  gold,  my  dear, 
A-shinin'  as  bright  as  gold, 

And  lookin'  as  chipper  and  sassy 
As  tho'  'twarn't  powerful  old. 

And  there  set  Polly  a-laughin' ; 

But  then,  who  keered,  my  dear? 
Altho'  she  was  thinkin'  'most  likely 

That  grandmas  was  mighty  queer. 

4 

For  I  suddenly  did  diskiver, 

By  a  sartain  familiar  sign, 
That  that  there  table  in  Polly's  room 

Had  long  ago  stood  in  mine. 

It  was  jest  my  own  dear  table, 

The  one  I  had  grieved  for  so  long; 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


And,  dearie,  the  homesick  feelin' 
Grew  suddenly  wonderful  strong. 

And  I  jest  set  down  to  that  table 
And  cried  the  least  little  mite, 


For  them  old  brass  rings  that  my  babies  had  clutched 
Were  good  to  my  achin'  sight. 

Wai,  arter  Polly  stopped  laughin' 

She  up  and  told  me,  dear, 
Some  funny  things,  I  can  tell  you, 

I  never  expected  to  hear. 
For  she  said  there  'd  been  a  powerful  rage 

In  New  York  town,  you  know, 
For  things  folks  called  antik  and  sech, 

And  "old  as  the  hills,"  and  so 


88  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


The  men  who  came  pryin'  to  my  house, 

A-meddlin'  with  things,  were  expectin' 
To  find  big  bargains  to  bring  to  York, 

For  the  store  that  sent  'em  collectin'. 
And  I  'm  free  to  confess  I  was  riled  a  mite 

To  think  they  'd  only  paid  me, 
For  all  they  had  took,  fifty  dollars, 

And  my  grandchild  had  paid,  you  see, 


For  that  there  table  alone,  she  said, 

Fifty  dollars  or  more ! 
Wai,  there !    I  was  e'enamost  beat,  my  dear, 

For  in  all  my  life  afore 
I  had  never  heard  tell  of  sech  cheatin'  men; 

My  Asa  warn't  no  sech  kind ! 
And  a  cheatin',  deceivin'  creetur,  child, 

Warn't  never  to  my  mind. 


GRANDMA  'S  A  TTIC   TREASURES.  89 

But  the  table,  the  dear  old  table! 

Oh,  dearie,  you  surely  know 
How  glad  I  was  to  get  it  again 

In  my  grandchild's  house ;    and  so 
I  writ  to  father  that  very  night, 

And  I  told  him,  "Asa,"  says  I, 
"  Our  Polly,  she  says  ?^z£/-fashioned  things 

Are  all  a-goin'  by. 


"  A^w-fashioned  times  is  behind  the  age, 

6Y^-fashioned  things  is  new, 
And  things  ain't  new,  or  wuth  a  cent, 

Unless  they  're  antik  too. 
And  the  cur'ous  part  of  it  all,  my  man, 

Is  a  lesson   I  'm  larnin'  well : 
The  duds  stowed  away  these  forty  years 

Are  loo  fas  finable  to  sell. 


90  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 

"  But  law !    there  's  one  thing  puzzles  me, 

And   I  'm  wonderin',  Asa  dear, 
If  the  world  thinks  any  the  more  of  folks 

Who  are  ruther  antik  and  queer; 
But  there !    I  reckon  that  neither  of  us, 

My  man,  will  ever  be  able 
To  prove  our  wuth  compared  with  that 

Of  a  valuble  antik  tabled 


But  I  didn't  stay  long  at  Polly's, 

For  somehow  I  could  n't  stay, 
A-knowin'  the  old  man  missed  me. 

So  airly  one  pleasant  day 
My  grandchild's  husband  took  me 

To  the  keers,  and  we  said  good-by, 
And   I  was  so  glad  to  be  gettin'  home, 

I  was  really  afraid  I  should  cry. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


Wai,  Asa  was  there  at  the  station, 

A-waitin'  and  watchin'  for  me, 
And  as  soon  as  the  keers  reached  our  village, 

His  face  was  the  fust  thing   I  see. 
So  we  rode  in  the  waggin,  side  by  side, 

Back  over  the  road  agen, 
Till  we  neared  the  dear  old  home 
stead 

Under  the  elms,  and  then 


92  GRANDMA'S  ATTIC  TREASURES. 

My  man,  he  turned  his  face  to  me, 

And  the  tears  were  in  his  eyes : 
"  Oh  Hannah,  wife,  the  sun  has  come 

Straight  back  to  the  old  home  skies ! 
You  're  welcome  home,  dear  heart !  "    he  said  ; 

And  he  put  a  kiss  on  my  cheek. 
I  kissed  him  back,  but  my  heart  was  full, 

And  I  did  n't  dare  to  speak. 


Wai,  we  settled  down  agen  at  last 

In  the  quiet  old  home  together; 
And  whatever  the  gloom,  whatever  the  shine 

Of  life,  its  wind  and  weather, 
We  shared  alike,  my  man  and  me, 

As,  please  God,  to  our  old  life's  end 
We  may  share  together  whatever  of  joy 

Or  grief  he  may  choose  to  send. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES.  93 

There,  now,  you  have  heard  my  story, 

And  Asa's  stocking  is  done ; 
(Dear  me !    it  is  late  —  it 's  time  he  was  back, 

And  the  medder  is  hot  with  the  sun !) 


Jest  help  me  in  on  your  arm,  dear, 
And  now,  as  you  're  goin'  home, 

I  '11  set  to  the  winder  awhile  alone, 
And  watch  for  Asa  to  come. 


GRANDMA'S  ATTIC   TREASURES. 


See  !    there  he  is  by  the  pasture  bars, 

A-wavin'  his  hand  to  me  ; 
He  knows  I  'm  here  by  the  winder 
A-watchin'  for  him,  you  see. 

Wai,  good-by,  dearie ;    come  often 

40> 
With  your  bright  and  bonny  young  face, 

If  you  ain't  afeard  that  amongst  the  antik 
Your  style  will  be  —  out  of  place. 


AtiE-UNIVERS//) 


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